The Exiled Prince and the Half-Blood
by JFDragonFire
Summary: Exiled from his homeland, captured by orcs, saved by men, trained to fight, and ordered to raise a half-blood. This is the untold story of the young dwarf prince who became a hero in the Battle of Azanulbizar (Moria). [Thorin, OC] Weekly updates.
1. Prologue

This fan fiction is dedicated to my sister and her family who are going through hard times right now. I hope this will encourage her and bring a smile to her face. The name Eva was chosen by her.

This story will be a mixture between things from both the movies and the book and also my own touch, especially the Battle of Azanulbizar. Hopefully I can stick to the charm of The Hobbit.

I do not own any of the original content from The Hobbit

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-Thorin's POV (Point of View)-

Golther was a well known warrior and comrade of mine. However, he betrayed his dwarvin culture by marrying a mortal girl and disgraced it further by having the half-blood child, Eva. My grandfather wished to banish Golther from the dwarves of Erebor but he knew that he was too valuable of a warrior. Malaya, Golther's wife, died in childbirth, leaving him to raise the girl alone. Eva was a perfect blend of the beauty of both races but being a half-blood was accepted by neither race.

Everything changed when Smaug attacked. Golther, being one of the bravest of our warriors, was one of the first to answer the call to battle. However, dwarf warriors are like mere ants to a fierce dragon such as Smaug. Our armies fell in no time & the screams of my fellow dwarves will always haunt my dreams. The elves stood and watched as we were driven from our home land, it was as if Thranduil came to bask in our defeat.

As we fled I noticed Eva was traveling alone, and then it dawned on me, her father was probably killed by Smaug. I cared little for the half-blood and continued on my way thinking someone would take her in. But as groups of men and dwarves split off and went their separate ways she still remained alone. The child was shunned by both races. I too would've walked away if I hadn't thought about the sacrifice Golther had made for our proud race. My respect for the fearless warrior was greater than my disdain for the child.

Eva was young; she needed someone to care for her. Something had to be done and since nobody else seemed to care, it was up to me to find her somewhere to go. I asked the few remaining dwarves and humans left but nobody wanted her. Nobody would take her in, despite my asking. No, not even me, their prince, could get them to look beyond their prejudice against the child.

When all else failed I went to the king for guidance. That was a bad idea. Losing his massive wealth and most importantly the Arkenstone really took it's toll on him. He told me to either abandon her or kill her. When I refused he ordered me to raise 'the little half-blood abomination' myself. I was stuck with a child that nobody, including me, wanted.

I feared how that would affect my reputation. If everyone shunned the child then they would surely shun me. I left for a human village, taking Eva with me. My hope was that I'd have more luck finding someone to care for her, away from the villages where she was known. I'd hoped that there was a chance that these humans would be less hostile than those from Dale. I doubt it, but left with no other option I headed to the village as quickly as possible, hoping to drop off my burden and catch up with my kin who were on their way to Ered Luin, The Blue Mountains.

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So what do you think? Please review, I'd love to hear any ideas on how to improve my stories :)

If you are interested please check out my fan fiction about **Smaug** called: **Dragon Soul: The Heart of a Dragon**

~JFDragonfire


	2. Chapter 1: A New Journey

**The two girls on the cover are Eva.** One when she was a child and the other when she is older.

I changed the name from Changing Paths/Parallel Paths to The Exiled Prince and the Half-Blood. I felt this new title would be more descriptive. Enjoy!

I do not own any of the original content from The Hobbit

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-Thorin's POV-

"Lord Thorin, where are we going?" Eva asked me innocently as she gazed behind her at the receding group of dwarves and humans.

"I'm taking you to one of the towns in Bree-land. Perhaps you'll have better luck finding someone to care for you." I answered picking up my pace. I noticed that she kept slowing down to look back. I half growled, "Make haste child, stop falling behind."

"But Lord Thorin, I want to stay with my people." Eva said running to catch up with me.

Apparently the child had no idea that her people would not accept her, that she would be shunned and ridiculed the rest of her sorrowful life. Impressed by her innocence I wondered how old she was, so I turned around and asked, "Child, how old are you?"

"I am ten and four, my lord." After her reply I thought for a moment. Obviously she'd still be a very small child if she was fully dwarf and she certainly didn't act or look like a human of ten and four. I calculated her age by her actions and concluded that she would either be a human of nine or a dwarf of around twenty and one.

I was becoming irritated with the thought that I was left with the seemingly impossible duty of finding this half-blood child a home. I had not created this problem and the thought of wasting my time on this useless quest angered me to my very soul. These next few days were going to be long.

Having picked up on my irritation, Eva remained silent for a long time. I glanced back a few times to make sure she was still following me. I was most surprised that she was able to keep up with my rapid pace and offered no complaints. My stamina was such that I could keep walking for another half a day or so but eventually I could see Eva was exhausted to the point of collapsing. I realized that she needed to rest so I put down my meager belongings.

She looked at me skeptically as if she wasn't sure what to do. I said with an air of authority, "We'll rest here for the night." Then grabbing a flint stone and a U shaped piece of steel from my bag I tossed them to her saying, "Start the fire and I'll be back with some food."

"Lord Thorin, I don't know how to start a fire." My irritation mounted. What good was this child who could not even start a simple fire? What had her parents taught her if not even the most basic survival skills?

After gathering and arranging the dry grass and sticks needed for the fire I grabbed the flint stone and steel piece out of her hand. I think I must have frightened her a bit because she shrank back from me. I stuck the objects together over the dry grass until it finally sparked and grew into an intense flame. I warned her, "Keep it going until I get back. I left plenty of wood over here so don't let it go out."

I put the flint and piece of steel back into the old leather bag I kept clinched around my waist and left to set up some snares. I felt an intense sense of hunger and some rabbit would surely fill the spot. It wasn't long before they had done their job. Two meaty rabbits struggled in the snares. My mouth watered as I approached the traps and with my sharp ax I cut off their heads as they let out squeals of fear.

I brought them back to camp and gutted them for cooking. I could see that Eva had taken her task seriously and the fire was as intense as when I left. Eva glanced over to see what I was doing and I caught her gasp as she saw me yank out the furry animal's innards. She looked as though she was about to be sick. I thought again how her parents had not done their job of teaching her survival skills and again I felt a sense of irritation growing. When they were cooked to perfect tenderness I began to eat. I shot a sideways glance at the child and realized that she had not taken any of the meal. _"Must I tell her everything?"_ I thought.

"What are you waiting for? Are you not hungry girl?" I said between bites, "Help yourself." she grabbed a small piece of the leg and began nibbling on it. "No wonder you're such a skinny little thing. Do you always eat like this? Eat more, You'll need your strength for tomorrow. We have a long journey ahead." She reached out to the sizzling animal and grabbed a large handful of succulent meat. Before she satisfied her hunger pangs she managed to scarf down six more pieces. This made me wonder, when was the last time this girl ate? I imagined that without anyone caring for her and everyone shunning her she probably ate like a stray dog, picking a few scraps here and there out of the garbage heap to keep her alive. She then grabbed the cup of water that I had filled for her, drank that one and then gulped down another one. With a shy smile, she thanked me for the food and then proceeded to sit staring blankly into the glowing fire.

I reached into my bag and pulled out my pipe, filled it and used a stick from the fire to light it. I always puff at my pipe when I feel stressed and caring for this orphan child was more stress then I needed in my life. The sweet aroma of the pipe filled the air around me and enveloped me with a sense of calmness. It was then that I heard a sweet, faint sound coming from the child. She was singing. I could see her lips moving but could not make out the words. My curiosity got the best of me and I slowly drew closer to her. I knew that song. It was a Dwarvin lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a child. This human looking half-blood was singing a song that was dear to my heart. So, her father had taught her something about his culture. Perhaps she wasn't a total loss. Wait, what was I thinking? I can't forget, this girl is a half-blood, a disgrace to my people. She continued to sing the sweet tune and my eyes were drawn to her. Tears were running down her cheeks. I had to look away. I could not let myself care for this child even though I knew it was too late. Perhaps we were all too hard on her; after all, we were judging her for the sins of her father. He was the disgrace, not the child. I struggled with this idea for what seemed like hours but a few short minutes later the child stopped her singing, turned to me and spoke.

"Lord Thorin?" hearing my name wrenched me from my confusing thoughts. Our eyes met and she asked, "Are you going to rejoin King Thror and the others when you find me a place to stay?"

"Yes. I belong with my kin." I answered, wondering where she was going with this.

"I'm scared of leaving my people. I know they never accepted me but they are the only family I've ever known." She said in almost a whisper.

"I'm sure some good people will take you in and give you a new home." I knew that was a lie. I doubted such a thing would happen. "Get some rest child. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. The village is still a ways off."

She lay down to sleep and I sat and glanced at the dying embers. My mind was troubled. What was I going to do if nobody took her in? I couldn't leave her on some road side and the thought of killing her was too callous. Both options weighed heavily on my mind as I slowly drifted into a fitful slumber. I would deal with it when the time came.

"Lord Thorin?" Her voice roused me from my sleep, "Did you know my parents?"

Although I was a comrade of the child's father when I was a youth, after he married the human the whole city shunned them and I was no different. Now I wished that I had had the courage to remain his friend.

"Tomorrow, Eva, we will talk tomorrow. Get some sleep." I took off my coat and placed it on the shivering girl. No I couldn't abandon her. I will find her a home. I owed that much to my fallen friend.

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Hope you liked it. Feel free to express what you think and what I could improve on. I will try to keep updating often.

Because Eva is half human and half dwarf she will age somewhat in between.

Buckle up readers cause this next chapter is gonna have some action in it!

~JFDragonFire :)


	3. Chapter 2: Captured!

Chapter 2 has finally arrived! Has more action than the first. Thank goodness.

Again I changed the name from Changing Paths/Parallel Paths to The Exiled Prince and the Half-Blood (Parallel Paths).

I do not own any of the original content from The Hobbit.

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-Eva's POV-

"Eva get up! We must leave now!" I could feel a hand roughly jolting me awake.

I opened my eyes and saw Thorin quickly grabbing his coat away and gathering up our meager supplies. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, it dawned on me that it was still dark and in my half-awake state asked, "Lord Thorin, it's not yet near dawn. What's going on?"

"There are Orcs nearby. I can sense it. We must leave swiftly and quietly. They cannot know we are here. Who knows what those savage beings will do to us."

Quickly, I jumped up and gathered my belongings and stuffed them into the ragged bag I had bought with me. I wanted to ask how he could sense them but thought this would not be a good time. I finished the task and he said with what I sensed was fear in his voice, "Follow my lead, stay low to the ground and whatever you do keep quiet."

We traveled as quickly and quietly as we could. Thorin grabbed my hand and pulled me through the tangled underbrush in the darkness. The orcs seemed to have picked up our presence and pursued us. We could hear their heavy footsteps growing louder and louder, a sign that they were bearing down upon us. Thorin pulled me along even faster but I stumbled in the darkness. I lost my grip of his hand and fell to the ground in what I feared was a loud thump. He hastily latched on to my hand again and pulled me up. I had not time to complain about the scrapes on my knees. The Orcs had gotten so close that we could not only hear them but their rank stench had filled my nose. Every hair on my back stood up and my heart beat so fast and hard that I thought it might rip from my chest. My lungs felt as if they were about to explode. It was getting harder and harder to breath and I felt like I would pass out.

Thorin grabbed me into his arms and proceeded to run with me cradled close to him. I could see that he too was starting to be fatigued and I grew angry at my lack of stamina. Eventually he must have realized that fleeing was of no use because he placed me back on my feet and whispered sharply, "Eva, go and hide in the bushes to your right and stay quiet. Let's see if they will just pass us by. Perhaps we can lose them in the bushes."

I followed his orders without a word of protest and hid where he told me to. I saw him hide about 50 feet away from me. Within seconds the orcs were standing within a few feet of us. I was pretty sure that they could hear my heart beating. I held my breath hoping it would quiet my heart. I could barely see in the breaking light of dawn but I was able to count thirteen of those disgusting, vile creatures.

The one that was barely inches from my hiding spot sniffed the air and sneered, "I know I smell dwarf. I just can't tell where the putrid smell is coming from with this wind blowing." He sniffed the air again and moved away a few feet.

"Well keep trying you lazy maggot. The master wants us to locate the fleeing dwarves and capture their king!" I assumed this pale orc was the leader by his tone.

"_Capture their king? Do they mean King Thror?_" I thought, "_What could they want with him?_"

I let out my breath as they walked away thinking that the danger would soon pass. I found out that I was wrong when the one that was tracking our scent made a sudden turn back towards us. I again held my breath and closed my eyes wishing he would go away but his thunderous footsteps filled my ears as he came closer and closer.

When he was almost on top of me Thorin bravely jumped from his hiding spot and ran full speed towards the orc. I watched in horror as he let out a loud cry and wielding his ax over his head, cut off the head of the orc. The orc's black blood squirted through the air and onto the ground. I gasped when I felt some drop onto my hand. I tried wiping it with my tattered cloak but that only made it smear more. I gave up and once more turned my attention towards my protector. I turned my eyes to him just in time to see him mouth the words," Stay hidden!" He then ran towards the other orcs still wielding his ax at their grotesque heads.

The first orc he came upon with was still in a state of shock. Thorin slammed his ax into the orc's right arm quickly severing it. The orc had not even the time to let out a scream of pain before Thorin laid his ax into his head spilling his puny brains out onto the road. Quickly he moved to the next orc aiming for his skull, however, the element of surprise was gone. The orc blocked his attack with ease. They stood in a deadlock for a what seemed like hours but in truth was but a few seconds. With all the weight of his small stature Thorin stomped on the orc's foot. The orc seemed surprised and when the orc bent over in pain Thorin embedded his ax into its throat causing the orc to make a ghastly hissing noise before falling dead to the ground.

Nine of the ten remaining orcs quickly joined in the battle surrounding the dwarf. Thorin swung his ax but each time it was blocked. There were just too many of them. It wasn't long before his weapon was knocked out of his hand and the orcs tackled him to the ground and held him there.

When they had him secure the leader of the pack walked over to him. "Are you traveling alone dwarf?"

"What's it to you?" Thorin sneered with an air of defiance.

"Such arrogance coming from someone in your position. Tell me, who are you?" the orc asked again this time punching Thorin's face so hard that his lip began to bleed.

Thorin spit in the direction of the orc's face and remained silent. The orc said something I think was black speech, punched Thorin again and held a sharp spiky weapon to his neck. "Don't lie to me you dwarf scum. If you are traveling with anyone I will find them and kill them and then I will kill you. Answer the questions scum!"

"I am traveling alone. My identity is no concern of yours."

"Answer the question or I will kill you in this very spot and believe me it will be a slow painful death." The orc said some words that I could not understand, I believe they were black words.

Thorin thought about it for a minute and gave in to the orc's request for his identity. I know it was to probably spare me the pain of seeing them torture him.

"I am Thorin son of Thrain," he said with all the defiance he could muster.

The orc shot a glance to the rest of his party. "Look boys we got ourselves a real life prince. The master will be real happy to see this one. Who would have thought we'd run into a member of the line of Durin here in the middle of nowhere? What a stroke of luck. Looks like we'll be home sooner than expected."

"Who is your master and what does he want with me or my family?" Thorin hissed.

"Don't worry dwarf scum you will know soon enough and to tell you the truth I wouldn't be in such a hurry to find out." The orc looked at his companions and let out a laugh. They all joined in.

I watched helplessly as they dragged my brave guardian away. "Now what do I do?" I whispered looking at the dead orc next to me. I wanted to run after them. I wanted to kill every last one of them but I remembered the words that Thorin mouthed to me, "Stay hidden!" My only question was, for how long?

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You guys are a tough crowd to get a response from. I see all you readers hiding in the shadows. "Come now, don't be shy. Step into the light."

~JFDragonfire


	4. Chapter 3: Carried Away

Chapter 3! Sorry that it's so short. I didn't write what I had originally planned because it would've been pointless.

I do not own any of the original content from The Hobbit.

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-Thorin's POV-

Eva.

That was all I could think about as I was being carried away by the filthy orcs. The little orphan was completely ignorant about how to survive in the wild. She would not survive long in the wilderness by herself. She would surely die if I didn't free myself and return to her soon. I struggled against the tight ropes encircling my swollen wrists. I must get free. The orc on my left saw my futile attempts to free myself and that earned me a hit to the head. The force of the blow threw me to the ground. The orc then proceeded to kick me in the stomach. I doubled over in pain as I gasped to regain my breath.

"Stop squirming and get up you filthy worm!" my captor growled at me.

"_I would love to,_" I thought angrily, "_so I could slit your throat you ugly piece of filth. You will learn why my people have a reputation of fierceness if I get out of these ropes._"

No matter how many times they attempted to stop me I kept fighting. I would not give up. It was about midday when I was starting to tire. I had to reserve my strength if I was to escape from the ghastly group. I would never get free if I became exhausted. We stopped for a few minutes for the orcs to fight over who would be the lucky one to kill me when the master was through interrogating me. It was then I noticed a slight movement in the bushes about 10 meters behind us. It was subtle, probably just the animals going back to their normal lives after the invaders passed through. The orcs didn't seem to notice it. They were too busy arguing amongst themselves to pick up anything suspicious.

As my body rested for those few precious minutes, I took the opportunity to assess my situation. The fact that I was in this predicament irritated me. I was taken out way too easily. How could I be an example for my people if I couldn't even hold my own in a battle with a few orcs? I had no doubt that I would get myself free and when I did I would search near and far to find a great warrior to instruct me to fight. I would never again be taken so easily. I vowed to become a prince that would someday become a king that my people could turn to for protection and guidance.

My mind again turned to escaping and freeing myself. My bonds were too tight and my wrists too swollen for me to simply slip out of them. I'd have to find something to cut the ropes while the orcs were preoccupied. I could also try crawling away but crawling wouldn't do any good, the orcs would easily be able to catch me and then who knows what they would do to me for attempting to escape again. The only choice as was left with was to try to sneak off when the orcs rested. I wasn't even sure if they did rest.

My thoughts returned to Eva. Where was she? What was she doing? How could she possibly survive ? She was but a mere child. I grew sad at the thought that she was out there somewhere alone and frightened if she was even alive. I hoped that she learned a few survival skills from me in the short amount of time we shared. Maybe she could meet up with someone who would take care of her. I consoled myself with that thought and went back to thinking of an escape plan.

I decided to reserve my strength till nightfall. My captor looked over and seemed to pick up the fact that I stopped fighting. He said something in black speech and laughed. The others quit there fighting and joined in the laughter even though they had no idea about what the first orc found so funny.

My hope faded when night came and they stopped to feast. One of the orcs went into the woods and bought back a deer slung over his shoulders. They all sat down and ripped away pieces of the deer with their greedy hands. The orc that was assigned to guard me was the only orc who could not participate in the blood feast. He hovered over me and was grumbling in black speech. I guessed he was probably complaining about how he didn't get to join in the meal.

"What's the matter you filth? Aren't you starving yet?" I said trying to tempt him to leave me and eat.

He knelt down in front of me pulled out his knife, placed it against my throat and growled, "If I were you, I wouldn't be so arrogant. I'm going to cut you like a pig."

I closed my eyes accepting what I believed was my end . I waited but nothing happened. He unexpectedly turned away from me. I opened my eyes just in time to see Eva standing over the body with a knife in her hand and dried orc blood splattered all over her. She stared at the body with her eyes wide in terror and shock, as if she couldn't believe that she had brutally stabbed the orc in the neck.

I looked over at the other orcs to see them still feasting on their meal. They were totally oblivious to what had just happened. "Cut." I whispered very low holding out my bound limbs to her. She snapped out of her trance and began sawing at the ropes that bound my wrists. It wasn't long before I was free.

I grabbed the knife from her and motioned for her to follow me. As much as I wanted to kill every last orc as they stuffed their ugly faces, I knew I could only kill one or two and then get both myself and Eva caught or even killed. We slipped away quietly into the night. We had to get as much distance between the orcs and us before they finished their meal and noticed that I was gone.

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Hope you guys liked it. Feel free to write reviews.

**Borys68-**Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I will keep in mind what you said about names when I create new characters.

I won't be updating for about a week. I feel my writing is getting sloppy and I need to think about where I want to take this story.

~JFDragonFire


	5. Chapter 4: Hidden Allies

Chapter 4! I lied, I was gonna take a week break to think but after a lot of brainstorming and researching I finally figured out where to take this story.

I do not own any of the original content from The Hobbit.

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-Ranger's POV-

We knew there were orcs traveling north-northwest. They were sloppy. They never tried to conceal their tracks. We had been tracking this group for 3 days now. We didn't know why these foul creatures had grown so bold lately. They know we patrol the borders of Eriador and feared us for a time, but in these past few years they've been crossing the borders seemingly unconcerned that we would most surely kill them if they were caught.

We had noticed an increase it the amount of activity on the borders in the last two weeks. Not just the orcs, but dwarves as well. We had come upon many large groups of wandering dwarves passing through and groups of orcs following close behind. There had to be a connection between the orcs and dwarves, but we did not know what it was. My only question was what were the orcs after?

My father, Arassuil, ordered us to stop and question any dwarves that we encountered. I knew it would be fruitless. The dwarves are a stubborn race. They would take their secrets to their graves before revealing anything to a stranger.

I stood on a small hill overlooking the land below with my group of two other rangers. We were scouting for any signs of those disgusting orcs. We had recently come across the remains of a slaughtered deer, what was left of their putrid feast. We knew they couldn't be too far away and we wanted to discover them before they discovered us.

After scouring the area thoroughly, and observing no orcs ,we decided to proceed ahead. "Let's get going. We'll look for more signs on the road. They have not been very secretive so we should be able to find many signs. Hopefully we will catch up with them by morning," I said with assurance to my fellow rangers.

We began to pursue them again, coming across more evidence that the orcs had been there only hours before. The sun was sinking into the horizon but we continued our hunt. Even though our vision would be slightly hindered in the dark, there was enough light from the full moon that would guide our way. We travelled for at least another thirty minutes when in the distance we could see a band of ten figures headed straight in our direction. We quickly found a hiding spot from which we could safely continue to observe them. I watched as they drew closer and closer. I could see that one of them was carrying something. I couldn't quite make out what it was until they were a few hundred yards away. It was a prisoner and by the size of him it looked like a dwarf. I wondered if he was the reason those filthy orcs had been boldly crossing the border and if he was what could they want with him?

The orcs stopped for what I guessed was a meal. I could hear them arguing about who would get the unwanted task of guarding the hapless prisoner and missing the best parts of the feast. "Let's go," I said directing my horse in that direction. With all the noise they were making I was quite sure that they would not hear us. I planned to wait until the orcs were so engrossed in their meal that we could sneak in, grab the prisoner and slaughter the orc scum. As we got closer to the boisterous group I noticed a small figure emerge from the brush and cautiously make its way to the guarded prisoner. I watched in amazement as the figure, only slightly bigger then the size of a dwarf child snuck up behind the orc guard and with deliberate movement stuck a knife into the unaware victim just seconds before he was going to slit the throat of his prisoner. The two stealthily slipped into the brush and headed eastward. It only took a few minutes for the orcs, who by this time had finished their meal, to notice that the prisoner was gone and their fellow orc was laying in a pool of black orc blood. They let out a collective, terrifying roar and proceeded to look around for signs of the fleeing prisoner. When they gathered enough evidence of which direction he was headed they followed in pursuit.

My fellow rangers and I also headed in the direction of the prisoner and the orcs. We road in a wide semicircle to bypass the orcs unnoticed and came in behind the fleeing figures. I could now make out two dwarves, an adult male followed by a female child (although she was taller then any dwarf child I had ever seen). Within seconds the pursuing orcs were upon them. The male one stopped and with one quick motion stabbed the closest orc in the stomach and injured another. The smaller one stood close to him. He valiantly tried to protect her but there were just too many orcs and soon the pair was completely surrounded. The adult dwarf continued to fight but one of the vile beast grabbed the child and put a knife to her throat. Only then did the brave dwarf stop fighting. It was about that time that we arrived. I drew my sword and beheaded the cowardly orc that was holding the child hostage. The girl along with her guardian quickly moved away from the orc group and my fellow rangers and I began slaying the rest of the orcs, falling the last fleeing one with an arrow to his heart.

The dwarves stood there in shock. The girl instinctively hid behind the male. It was then I noticed the child was covered from head to toe in orc blood.

"You are a brave man taking on nine orcs alone, dwarf. Your bravery is an example to us all. Tell me what is your name and what did the orcs want from you?" I said.

The dwarf remained silent, stubborn like all dwarves. I had find out what was the connection between him and the orcs. I motioned for my two companions to grab hold of him. He fought back but to no avail.

One of my companions put the struggling dwarf on his horse. I said to the other, "I'll take the girl. We are bringing them to my father."

She fought back too but stopped when the older dwarf ordered her to. As we rode away from the pile of dead orcs I said to the girl, "I'm Arathorn son of Arassuil. Don't be afraid, we are not your enemies." Like the older one she too remained silent.

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No, this Arathorn is not Aragorn's father, it's way before him.

Seriously shadow readers, feel free to write a review. Praise is always nice and I'm not insulted by constructive criticism.

~JFDragonfire


	6. Chapter 5: Bree

Sorry to keep you waiting! Been so busy with a retreat this week. As an apology this chapter is a little longer. Without further adieu Chapter 5!

I do not own any of the original content from The Hobbit.

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**-Eva's POV-**

We traveled throughout the night to reach the Great East Road and followed it to the town of Bree. The men continued to question Thorin about why the orcs might be following us but he refused to answer them. I followed Thorin's example and refused to speak to the men, although there was not much I could tell them even if I did choose to speak. I longed to ask Thorin what was going on since I had no idea why we were being sought by those wretched orcs. I felt a tinge of guilt as I watched Thorin in this degrading position for I knew that had he not been forced to look after me he would have tried to escape by now.

I spend the entire time listening intently to the men speaking amongst themselves. I learned that they were bringing us to their chieftain, who I gathered was the father of the one who called himself Arathorn. They wanted to know why the orcs where so interested in the dwarves and they thought that their chieftain could convince Thorin to tell them. I almost had to silence a giggle for I knew that their plan was in vain. Thorin was a dwarf and there was no match to the stubbornness of a dwarf. He would go to his grave guarding whatever secret he held.

We finally reached Bree at midday. The gatekeeper apparently recognized the rangers and let them in without a second thought. We went into town and stopped in front of a place called The Prancing Pony. As we dismounted a young boy, about nine years of age, offered to bring the horses to the stables. The rangers tipped him and led us inside the crowded pub.

I was amazed at the large number of people gathered in the place. There were many who appeared to have had way too much ale too early in the day. I was trying to keep up with the rangers as they led Thorin into a back room but found it almost impossible in the crush of the crowd. I had to duck through the masses and was stepped on more than once. Finally one of the rangers picked me up and carried me on his shoulders into the back room.

An elderly woman entered the room. I had seen her behind the bar as we walked in. I assumed that she was the bar's owner. "Arathorn. What can I do for you?"

"Good day Theda. Have you seen my father? We must speak with him." Arathorn answered.

She glanced at both me and Thorin then answered, "I'm afraid he isn't here right now but he did say that he'll be back this evening. You're welcome to stay and wait for him to return. I'll bring you and your men something to eat and drink. You must be hungry after your travels."

"We'll be much obliged. One more thing, could you please get this young girl cleaned up." Arathorn gestured toward me.

A look of shock crossed the old woman's face when she looked me up and down. I had almost forgotten that I was covered in orc's blood. She tentatively grabbed my shoulder trying not to touch the blood.

"Certainly, master Arathorn." She said, "This way child."

I glanced at Thorin, uncertain of what to do. I was afraid to be separated from him. I wasn't sure if I was more frightened for myself or him. Somehow I believed that they would not harm him in front of me. I glanced at him and he did not seem too alarmed. I put on the bravest expression I could muster and followed the woman. She took me to what I assumed were her living quarters. In one of the corners there was divider and behind it a meager tub and bucket. She filled it with water and gave me the supplies to clean myself. As I was scrubbing the blood off me I could hear her moving about the room.

Then she said, "I am Theda. What is your name child?"

At first I refused to answer but I could sense no ill will from her so I told her my name. She then proceeded to ask, "Child, what is that covering you?"

"'It is orc blood ma'am." Through the divider I could hear her gasp. I continued, "When my lord was taken by orcs I knew I had to help so I covered myself with orc blood to hide my smell and I then followed them."

When I finished scrubbing she handed me some child sized human clothes. She looked at me and I could not help but notice the puzzled look on her face. "You don't look like a typical dwarf me child what are you?"

"I'm a half-blood." I answered. I glanced at the floor I expecting her to shun me like everyone else. All she did was say, "Interesting."

She led me to a small wooden table tucked into the corner of the room. She offered me a bowl of steaming soup and a crust of delicious bread. Up until now I had not realized how hungry I was. I ate the soup way too fast considering how hot it was but the sensation of filling my empty stomach far outweighed the burning sensation of the hot soup. As I was finishing the wonderful meal the stable boy I had seen earlier entered the room. He promptly sat down on the chair across from me and the kind old woman gave him a bowl of the soup. She introduced me to him. His name was Alardus. He was very kind to me. After he finished his meal he offered to show me around Bree. He was friendly and everyone in town seemed to know him. I was so preoccupied that I had completely forgotten about Thorin. It wasn't until evening that I wondered what he was doing and if he was ok. I asked Theda if she had heard anything about him but she said she hadn't. I sighed. I was beginning to be worried. I was hoping by now to be reunited with him.

**-Thorin's POV-**

The rest of the day was uneventful as we settled down at the inn and waited for the chieftain. I was given a meal consisting of meat and bread. I asked about Eva and the rangers told me that she was safe and being taken care of by the inn keeper. I began to relax a little. I had been afraid that she would be ill taken care of considering what she was. The man who was watching me allowed me to see her from a nearby window. She was with the young stable boy and he was showing her a few horses. She looked happy for the first time since we started our journey. I secretly hoped that she had found her permanent home.

The chieftain finally arrived. He was a proud looking man of great stature. We went into a small meeting room. I cannot say I was afraid of this man but something about him made he respect him. I started thinking about the kindness his people were showing Eva, how they welcomed her without second thought. If he was anything like his subjects, I thought perhaps I could negotiate with him. He sat down on a chair at end of the table opposite from me.

"Master dwarf," he said getting my full attention, "I am Arassuil, chieftain of the Rangers of the North."

I felt no need to keep silent. I felt I could trust this man. "I am Thorin of Erebor."

"A dwarf prince. I am honored" he replied. "Tell me, why are there so many dwarves passing the borders with orcs trailing behind them?"

If I was going to try to make a deal with Arassuil I knew I could not hold back any information so I proceeded to tell him the sad story of my people. "We have been driven from our home by a firedrake from the north. Eva, the girl, was orphaned when her father was killed defending the city. She is a half-blood, a disgrace to our people. I was ordered by my father to take her in hope of finding her a new home. Everyone from Dale and Erebor would not take her in. We were traveling when we were captured by orcs. I only know is that they want something from my kin. As to what that is I do not know."

The chieftain sat for a moment thinking then he said, "What if we work together to find out what the orcs want and put a stop to it? In the process of helping us, we will train you to fight."

"What about the child?" I asked.

Arassuil looked towards his son and asked him to get the innkeeper. He left at once and returned a few minutes later with the elderly woman.

"Was there something you needed master Arassuil?" she asked walking in.

"Please sit down for a moment," he gently commanded. When she sat he continued, "We have a small situation. We need this dwarf's help with something but the young girl cannot come with us. Would you be willing to take her in as a favor to me?"

"That is asking a lot," she said slowly, "I am not a young woman anymore but maybe we can help each other. I can sure use some help around here. She seems like a dear child. I guess it would be okay."

"Alright, with that settled," Arassuil said looking at me, "Do we have a deal?"

Eva's smiling face flashed through my mind. I looked at each person in the room and then back at him, "I think we do."

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Please take the time to write a review, it would be very much appreciated.

~JFDragonFire


	7. Chapter 6: Seeking Information

Getting reviews and having followers is very encouraging. I want to thank you all for your support. Here is Chapter 6!

I don't own any of the original content from The Hobbit

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-Thorin's POV-

Two years had passed since I joined the rangers. During that time and we had hunted and fought many orcs together. The rangers taught me many skills: tracking, pursuing enemies in silence, and most importantly how to fight. I was well trained on how fight to with sword, knife and spear.

We interrogated many orcs over the past two years but we hadn't gotten any information as to the reason the orcs are seeking my kin. Their stubbornness rivaled that of the dwarves. To gain information a plan was devised in which I would let myself get captured. I knew it would be dangerous but I also knew the rangers would be nearby through it all. I had grown to trust them with everything including my life.

Getting captured was easy, all I had to do was to appear to be traveling alone near the borderlands where the orcs were known to roam. I traveled a few days, with the rangers not far behind me, before I ran into a band of filthy orcs.

Six orcs surrounded me. A taller pale one stood just outside the circle. If I wanted to I could kill them all without breaking a sweat, but that wasn't my intention. We stood there for a few seconds engaged in a staring match.

The pale orc eventually spoke to the others. He said something in black speech and they started to attack me. I blocked them with my sword and injured two of the vile creatures. For although the goal was for me to be captured, I did not want to appear totally defenseless. I knew that with my new skills I could easily have killed them all but instead I dropped my sword and appeared to surrender when the rest of the orcs rushed toward me.

This scene was very familiar having been through it two years prior only this time I knew it was I who had the advantage. When I was securely tied up the pale one stepped forth, "Give me your name you filthy dwarf!" He grunted as he kicked me hard in the stomach.

It took me a minute to recover. Although my instinct was to ignore his question, I knew it was all part of our plan. Mustering all the contempt that I could I spit out, "Thorin, son of Thrain."

The pale orc turned to his band of disgusting comrades and said something in black speech. Two of them stepped forward and proceeded to examine my hands. Whatever they were looking for was obviously supposed to be on my hand. Was it a ring? It was clear that I did not possess what they were looking for but I knew who did. One of the orcs searching me said something in black speech. The pale one looked furious and walked over to me holding up a battle mace. I thought for sure he was going kill me, but instead he turned the handle towards me and swung it in the direction of my head leaving me no time to react.

I woke up in darkness. Slowly images of what happened came to my mind. Everything was still a bit foggy and my head was still in much pain. I shook off the lingering haziness I felt and tried to take in the situation. I could sense grass and dirt beneath me and feel the night breeze. The orcs were sitting around a fire a few yards away feeding their disgusting faces.

I didn't know how long I was out or how far the orcs had taken me. It was time to escape now that I had the information I needed. They were after a ring of power forged by the Elves and given to my ancestors by Sauron. I twisted my hands to feel the knot and slowly and quietly started working on it. It didn't take long to untie it. The orcs had never even bothered to search me for which I was grateful because I had a knife hidden in the back waistband of my pants. I used it to cut the rest of the bonds and then quietly made my way to the orcs. They were so enthralled with their dinner that they never had a clue that I was coming.

When I reached them I moved swiftly. I slit the throat of one and stabbed the heart of another and in the commotion somehow got the rest. I started to walk off when the pale orc scowled from the ground "Do you think I'll let you get away that easily?"

He tried to get up but fell back down, "Go back to your master and tell him you failed", I yelled.

He hissed, "You and your kin will pay for this. I will end your line."

I turned and walked back over to him, "Don't think my kin will go down so easily," I sneered and then kicked him in the head as hard as I could. I left him on the road injured hoping he would report back to his master that the dwarves would not be so easily beaten.

I walked towards the woods and the rangers emerged and rejoined me.

"How long was I out?" I asked Arathorn as he rode over to me handing me the reins to a pony.

"Just a few hours. We followed you. If you were still out by dawn we would've rescued you."

"I don't need rescuing." I said getting on the pony.

We started back towards Bree. I could tell they were anxious to hear what I learned from the orcs but were giving me the opportunity to tell them in my own time. I thought hard about what I was going to say after all even though they were my friends they were also men and men are weak. Isildur had the opportunity to destroy the one ring of power and end Sauron's reign of terror but he was weak and kept the ring for himself. What if these men were tempted by power? What if I tell them that my kin has a ring? Would they seek them out and take the ring for themselves? I wrestled with what I would say. On the one hand they had proved time and time again that I could trust them but on the other hand they could be tempted to possess the power of my family's ring and kill us all to gain it. I needed their help to continue my training. I decided to tell only Arathorn when we arrived back at Bree.

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**Borys, Susie, and Random Readers:** Thank you so much for your reviews and support. I truly appreciate it. :)

**To my followers and favorites:** Thank you for adding this story. I hope you guys continue to enjoy it.

~JFDragonFire


	8. Chapter 7: Thorin's Departure

Sorry, this has been a crappy week for me. A lot has happened and I'm trying to avoid writer's block. Here is chapter 7.

I don't own any of the original content from The Hobbit.

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-Eva's POV-

It has been two years since Thorin and I were brought to Bree by the Rangers. Thorin made an agreement with them, he would work with them to uncover the orc's plan if the Rangers trained him how to fight.

Thanks to Thorin, I now live with Theda, the owner of the Prancing Pony. In return for providing me a place to stay and food, I work helping Theda at the tavern. At first she had me run errands and learn how to cook her much guarded recipes but as time passed I learned how to serve the varied patrons who visited the inn. Theda has proven to be a kind and wise guardian and I have grown to love her as a daughter would love her mother. Times aren't always easy. There are patrons who drink more than their share of our famous ale. At first this frightened me but Theda is a no nonsense bar keep and I have learned much by her example. I have also had my share of teasing about my half-blood lineage. If discovered by Theda, those foul mouthed haters were no longer welcome at the Pony. Alardus had become my staunch ally and dear friend. He, like Theda, was always there to defend and protect me.

Thorin is often gone for long stretches of time. He comes to see me when he is in Bree but he spends many weeks training with the rangers. I miss him dearly. He has become my everything. I owe my very life to him. He did what no one else would do. He took in this wretched half-blood that no one cared for and provided me with the opportunity to have a better life filled with love and a purpose. At every chance he got he taught me to defend myself using the knife he bought for me on one of his adventures. He insisted that I always carry it on me and to practice with it daily. He warned me of the dark creatures who stray way too close to the town and told me to be ever vigilant.

This latest mission, he told me, would be the most dangerous. I knew that there was a chance that he would not return. He saw the worried look on my face and kissed my forehead assuring me that the rangers had trained him well and I need not worry. If he were not to return my world would crash, I could not bear to live without my hero.

It has been three long weeks since Thorin left with the rangers. Although he has been gone for longer periods of time, something about this time is different and I am afraid for him. Each day I wait anxiously for his safe return but each day ends without word from him.

This afternoon as I cleaned the tables at the Pony my mind was deep it thought about Thorin and the rangers. I tried to keep myself busy moving slowly from table to table cleaning those that had already been cleaned. The silence at the inn was unnerving. It was always dead at this time of the day but today the silence was deafening. I wished Alardus wasn't out for the day. He always knew what to say to cheer me up.

"Eva," I could hear Theda holler from the kitchen.

My mind was bought back to the present. "Yes?" I called back.

"Could you please go to the market and get some fresh vegetables for tonight? We are almost out."

"Yes I will miss." I finished cleaning, put on my cloak and hurried off to the market.

The market was not far from the Prancing Pony but with the cold wind blowing around me it felt like miles. I arrived at the small but well stocked stand and greeted the proprietor Mr. Brun. He was a short, stocky man with a huge smile that never ceased to brighten even my worst day.

"Good afternoon miss Eva." farmer Brun greeted me as I walked up to his stand, "How fair thee today?" his smile stretching from ear to ear.

"I'm doing well, thank you. Just coming to pick up some vegetables for the inn."

"What would you like?" he asked proudly sweeping his hand over the bushels of colorful vegetables.

"The usual, carrots, corn, potatoes, and everything else I always get."

"Don't forget the cabbage" a familiar voice called from over my shoulder.

"Alardus!" I turned to him, "I thought you were going to Combe for the day." He was no longer a stable boy but he was now an apprentice horse trainer.

The shaggy brown haired boy smiled, "Well the man we were going to deliver the horses sent word that he would be delayed, something about a sick cow, so we are leaving tomorrow."

"Good, be a gentleman and carry these vegetables for me," I said as handed off my basket overflowing with the vegetables.

He rolled his eyes but without a word of complaint he did what I asked. "Have a good day, mister Brun", I called to the farmer as we walked off towards The Prancing Pony.

I was so glad Alardus was there. He always cheered me up, besides it was nice not to have to carry the heavy basket.

When we walked into the inn my heart jumped. Thorin and the rangers had returned. "Thorin!" I yelled and ran to him grabbing his neck. He had grown accustomed to me hugging him every time he returned although this time I admit I was a little more enthusiastic. "How was your trip?" I asked wanting to know every detail.

The look in his eyes darkened a little, "Eva, we need to talk. There is something I need to tell you. Come, let's go into the other room."

When he led me into the separate room I knew it must've been serious.

"What's wrong?" I asked afraid of what he might have to say.

"The mission went well. I finally got the information I've been trying to find out but now I have some things to take care of. I'm leaving for the Blue Mountains tomorrow. I must speak with the king. I would like to train a new army now that I have the skills necessary. The orc's will be searching for the dwarves and they must be ready to defend themselves."

My heart sank, "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know, a few years. These things take time."

My heart felt like it had been ripped from my chest. Hot tears stung my eyes and I could feel them start to run down my face, "Please. Take me with you. They are my people too. I want to go with you."

"Child, stop your crying. You cannot come with me. That would not be wise. The orcs will come and you will not be safe there. I cannot know you are in harm's way and give my all to my task. You know that there is nothing for you there. They will shun you. You have a life here where people love you. I could not bear it child if you were to come to harm. The best thing you can do to help me is to stay here and be safe. That would lift a great burden from me." He knelt down, cupped my face in both his hands, and looked into my eyes, "Eva, I will not abandon you, I will return. Now wipe the tears from your eyes, join me in a hot bowl of soup and I will tell you everything that happened." I did what he said but that didn't ease the pain I felt. In my heart I felt this was the last time I would see him.

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Hope it was ok, as I said, I've been struggling with writer's block. Please write a review.

~JFDragonFire


	9. Chapter 8: Persuasion

Guess I've started the habit of updating on Friday nights. I rarely have time during the week to write. I'm also going through writer's block. Thanks to my friend who helped me immensely with this chapter.

I don't own any of the original content from The Hobbit.

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-Thorin's POV-

It has been a few weeks since I left Bree so far the trip has been most uneventful. I've encountered just a few lone travelers, mostly merchants peddling their goods to nearby towns. To my surprise there have been no orcs. The Rangers have been guarding the land well.

I made a few stops, just long enough to rest my pony and to give him food and water. On the first day of the third week of my journey I finally saw the great entrance of the dwarven kingdoms or Ered Luin not far in the distance. I choked back my emotions. I had forgotten how much I missed my fellow dwarves.

It took the greater part of an hour to reach the great wooden gates that surrounded the city. As I traveled through the city I looked around at the grand architecture carved by the dwarves. The dwarves were expert masons. Their exquisite stone work was renowned throughout the lands of Middle Earth. Although this was not the city I left on that dreadful night, I did feel quite at home.

I passed many dwarves, some that I recognized. I greeted them with delight. It was good to see familiar faces. After I left with Eva I did not know what happened to my fellow dwarves. I was so glad that so many of them had survived the dragon's fiery attack but I mourned for all those who were lost. This only made my resolve to train the dwarves even greater. I would make sure that my people would never again be left at the mercy of an enemy.

In the middle of the city sat the new grand throne room, a monument to the perseverance of dwarves. I dismounted my pony and handed him over to the stable boy. I paid him a fair fee to make sure he fed and watered him. I turned towards the throne room eager to tell my grandfather King Thror about my plan. I walked up the great staircase that lead to the upper level. It didn't take long to get to the doors of the throne room.

King Thror was talking with my father, Prince Thrain. They stopped their conversation when they heard the giant doors open.

"Thorin, my son," my father said with a hint of surprise in his voice, "You've been gone for two years. We had given up any hope that you would ever return. We heard that there orcs have been prowling around in the woods. After not hearing from you we assumed that you had fallen victim to them. Tell me son, where have you been and why do you return to us now after being gone for so long?"

"I have been traveling throughout the land training with the Dunedain Rangers. After the defeat of our people, I vowed that I would find a way to prevent that from ever happening again. I teamed up with the rangers and they taught me to fight in exchange for helping them get information on the orc," I answered. "I trained to fight and now I wish to train my fellow dwarves to defend themselves against the growing evil that has entered our land."

"What about the half-blood?" King Thror asked changing the subject.

"I left her in a mortal village where she will be cared for," I answered, annoyed that my grandfather seemed unconcerned about the greater issue.

"Why did you even bother? You know she is a disgrace. I was hoping that you would have left her in the woods to fend for herself. It would have been better for her and us," my father said.

Anger welled up in my chest, "Because it is my duty as future king to take care of my people, whoever or whatever they are. Her father was a friend and a brave dwarf. He did not run when the fire drake attacked our home and for that he lost his life. I honored his bravery by tending to his child. I am ashamed that it took me so long to remember our childhood bond and you too should be ashamed of how you treated Golther's daughter."

"Do not speak in such a way in our presence Thorin!" my father commanded.

I wanted to argue but knew that would go nowhere. I would not get into an argument about something so trivial when there were bigger things to discuss so instead I said, "Grandfather, father I'm here to ask if I could raise up an army to begin preparations for war. I now have the skills necessary and as I said before, there is evil lurking all around and we must be ready for it when it comes. The orcs know about the ring of power you hold and when they discover where you now dwell they will come to take the ring and we will not be able to fight them unless we raise an army and train."

"What war? You are talking nonsense my son. We are safe here deep in the mountain. Let men deal with the orcs we will not get involved. We lost too many good dwarves to the fire drake and I will not risk anymore on foolishness," Thrain answered angrily.

I began to pace. I was losing my patience at their stubbornness, "While training, I came across many orcs. They spoke about capturing the heirs of Durin. One particular group finally revealed what they were after, the ring given to Durin by Sauron." My grandfather grabbed his hand which bore the ring. I continued, "We are the only ones who still bear one of the seven rings. You must listen to me. The orcs will eventually come in great numbers. We must be ready."

"Thorin, did you not notice that these walls are the sides of mountains? They are impenetrable." King Thror said dismissing me, "Let them come they will never get inside."

We dwarves are a stubborn race so I knew there was no point continuing the discussion. I had to think of something else. I quickly bought up another argument appealing to my Grandfather's love of his home and his treasure, "What about when we return to Erebor? We are going to need a strong army to destroy the dragon if we want to reclaim our home and stolen gold one day."

The king and elder prince thought for a moment. They mumbled a few words between them before they turned their attention back to me.

My grandfather said, "I am growing tired of arguing with you. You are as stubborn as the rest of us. Do as you wish. I will let you train an army but I think it is a waste of time. It may be years before the dragon dies and we attempt to return to Erebor. I will not risk taking our home back without assurance that the dragon is dead so you see what a waste of time raising an army will be but it is your time not mine."

His lack of concern about the dangers around us exasperated me but at least he was going to let me go through with my plan.

He turned away from me and with a wave of his hand, dismissed me.

I did as he wished and left the throne room. I had a lot of work ahead of me.

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Please write a review and tell me your opinions.

If interested check out my fan fiction about **Smaug **called: **Dragon Soul: The Heart of a Dragon**

~JFDragonFire


	10. Chapter 9: Growing Up

I had a hard time naming this chapter. Sorry it's late, I've been busy.

**Eva is now 23 years old, but by human standards she is 18.**

I don't own any of the original content of The Hobbit.

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-Eva's POV-

The morning of the day Thorin left he wanted me to train with the knife he had previously given to me. He wanted to make sure that I could take care of myself should the need arise. He showed me different techniques to protect myself. He said he did not want to have to worry about me while he was gone so he showed me how to block, how to strike, and how to throw my knife. He asked me to practice everything in his absence and of course I said I would.

When we sat down on the grassy field to rest he pulled out a beautiful necklace. It was a small oval shaped amber marble stone wrapped with gold wires with intricate designs and swirls. He put it on me saying that he made it and that it represented his promise to return. He gently kissed my forehead, got up and left. I looked at the necklace he placed around my neck and cried.

It has been seven years since that day. I cried myself to sleep every night fearing that I would never see him again. I kept the necklace around my neck hoping that by wearing it somehow Thorin would remain safe. He promised that he would return but as each year passed I'm began to doubt.

Theda has been my constant companion and teacher. I loved her as much as any child would love their mother. In these seven years I have learned much from Theda. Recently she has fallen ill. Her advanced age has caught up with her and I fear that she will not be with me too much longer. I've had to care for her and the inn. I don't mind though, I love Theda and it is a privilege for me to give back to her. It's hard to split my time between taking care of her and keeping up with the inn but I have some help.

Alardus has been a big help. He comes to help when he can. He is no longer an apprentice but an expert horse trainer. His skills have become so well known that he occasionally travels to Rohan and Gondor to train horses. When he is in town he helps me with the customers in the evening so I can spend time with Theda. I very much appreciate his help.

"Good day Eva! How does my lady fair today?" he said walking into the kitchen. He grabbed an apron and got to work chopping up some meat.

"If you want the truth then I should answer that I have been better." I answered sighing deeply.

"How is she?" he asked about Theda with true concern in his face.

"Not well Alardus. I don't think she is going to make it. Just this morning she had another of her coughing fits. She coughed so hard that I thought she would die right then. I don't know how many more of those fits her worn heart can handle," I choked on the lump in my throat.

He put down the knife, wiped his hands on the apron and hugged me. His concern for Theda and me warmed my heart and soon I was sobbing in his arms. He stroked me head, wiped my tears and feeling a bit uncomfortable went back to chopping the meat.

"She's like a mother to me. I don't know what I'd do if I lose her," I said regaining my composure. I scolded myself for breaking down and being so weak.

"Eva I'm here for you if you need anything." he said gently.

I glanced at the pile of dishes on the table and started to clean them. "But you leave too. When Theda is gone I'll be alone taking care of the inn. I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. It is such a big responsibility. This is Theda's legacy. It is up to me to keep her legacy going. That is a lot to do by myself."

"You're strong Eva, I think you are more capable than you know," he said as he continued cutting the meat.

I finished washing dishes and started helping Alardus make the soup and bread for the evening meal. I was always happy when he was around. He always knew what to say to cheer me up and make me laugh.

Besides taking care of the random customers while Alardus finished making the soup, I had to check on Theda. She did not look well but she smiled when I walked into the room. After the food was prepared I took some to Theda. It felt good to sit with her while she ate a small portion of the soup. She always asked about what was going on at the Prancing Pony. Even in her frail condition she wanted to remain in charge. She took my hand into her worn, withered hand and smiled. She asked for a glass of water and then said she was tired and wanted to rest for a while. I kissed her cheek, fixed her covers and then left to go back to the inn.

When I walked back into the inn it was full of customers. Alardus was waiting on every one of them without complaint. He really was a tremendous help. He worked without asking for pay. Along with Thorin and Theda he was the greatest friend anybody could ever have.

We split the inn's responsibilities between the two of us and I occasionally checked up on Theda . It was the middle of the night by the time the last customer left and things settled down enough to clean. After the long, exhausting day we sat for a few minutes of well-deserved rest. As we sat there I held the necklace Thorin made for me in my hands. I vividly remember the morning he gave it to me.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard Alardus. "Why do you still wear that?" he asked. "It's been seven years since he left. You said yourself he probably isn't coming back."

"Because I still hope," I answered caressing the smooth stone between my fingers.

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**Thank you to my followers, favorites and reviewers. You guys have given me the encouragement I need to keep writing.**

**Please take a moment to write a review.**

**~JFDragonFire**


	11. Chapter 10: Dwarf Army

Thanks to my best friend who made an awesome cover photo for this story! Unfortunately, it didn't fit so we had to make a little version with out the title.

**Both girls in the photo are Eva. One when she was a child and the other when she is older.**

**Chapter 10: Dwarf Army**

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-Thorin's POV-

Raising an army was harder than I imagined. I first had to assess each dwarf's fighting skills. After that each dwarf had to be assigned to specific tasks according to their strengths. Some excelled in hand to hand combat while others were experts with hatchets and some were proficient in a number of combat skills. I was glad to have been trained in being a leader by the rangers. The education I gained during my time with them proved very useful for my new task.

Balin and Dwalin were of great help. They were fast learners and eager to teach other recruits. Balin was a great strategist. He could plan amazing battle scenarios in which his fellow dwarves new found fighting skills were tested to the limit. Dwalin was young but he could handle a battle ax better than most dwarves twice his age. When pressed, he could turn almost anything into a weapon.

With their help I was able to turn a group of masons and iron smiths into a small, well trained army. We were well on our way to being able to defend ourselves when the need arose. My hope was that once other dwarves saw that this endeavor was not pointless, they would join our ranks and we would have the army we needed to go into battle when it became necessary. My grandfather was of no great help. Day after day he watched us train only to mock us. He tried to put a stop to it but I was able to persuade him to let me continue by reminding him of the Arkenstone.

It has taken the greater part of eight years to accomplish my goal. I took the time to make sure the dwarves were trained well. A half skilled army was worse than having no army at all. Half trained soldiers would quickly die in battle leaving the kingdom once again defenseless.

As much as I felt at home in Ered Luin I knew that I would eventually have to return to Bree. I could not abandon Eva. I had made her a promise and I had every intention of keeping it. By now she would be a young woman. I was eager to see how she had turned out. I hoped that she had continued to train with her knife and was able to take care of herself. She was as brave as her father in many ways but she we was fragile in others. I would leave the dwarf army in the capable hands of my trusted friends Balin and Dwalin. The time to leave had finally come.

I walked towards the throne room to bid the king and elder prince farewell. This would not be easy. I enjoyed the time spent with my father and although I knew I would eventually return, saying goodbye to my family and beloved army was harder than I could have imagined. I was hungry for adventure once more. Traveling and training with the Dunedain Rangers was a great experience and I was ready to join them once again.

When I arrived at the throne room it was empty. A guard informed me that my father and grandfather were eating their morning meal in one of the grand eating halls. Not wanting to disturb their meal, I sat and waited for them to return. It wasn't long before my grandfather entered. He seemed annoyed when he spotted see me. Usually I only came this early in the morning when it had to do with training the armies.

"What do you want now, Thorin? If it's about training dwarves on ponies you can forget about it. We already discussed that it was pointless. Dwarves are not horsemen." King Thror said sitting down on his throne.

"No grandfather, I am here for a different reason." I answered.

"Well speak. I am a busy man."

"The army is trained. I have done what I set out to do. I will be leaving first thing tomorrow morning. I will be returning to Bree and the Dunedain Rangers."

My grandfather looked straight at me and huffed, "Don't tell me it's because of that wretched half-blood. Your responsibility to her is over. You found her a place to stay, which is more than she deserves. What more could she possibly ask from you?"

Anger welled up in me, "Don't speak of Eva that way! In case you forgot her father was one of our own. More importantly, he stood up to the beast while others ran in fear. We owed it to her to find her a safe place to live. It was not a favor, it was a debt repaid."

"The debt was repaid by letting her live! Know your place prince! Do not raise your voice to your king!"

At that point my father walked in. "What's going on?" he asked seeing the tension between us.

I paced a moment to calm down before I answered, "I crave adventure. I long to travel again."

The king held his head in his hands, "Then go. You've accomplished your fool hardy plan. You've created an army we will never need and convinced common laborers that they are the great protectors of our kingdom. You've done nothing but cause trouble here," with that he waved his hand and dismissed me.

After saying goodbye to my father, I left the throne room and proceeded to walk towards where the army was training. Somewhere along the way I heard a familiar voice call, "Thorin wait!" It was Dwalin, he had heard the news about my leaving and hurried over to see if it was true.

When he caught up to me he asked, "Is it true? Are you really leaving?" Apparently word gets around fast.

"Yes, Dwalin." I answered. "I was just coming over to see the troops. I wanted to go over some last minute things with you and Balin. I trust you both completely to continue training and improving them."

Balin walked up behind him saying, "Your father is furious, he thinks you are going because of the half-blood."

"Why should that anger him?" I asked irritated, "I will never understand why you all have such a prejudice against an innocent child. The truth is that my time here has grown stagnant. I long to return to the rangers," I said half truthfully. I knew they would never understand the promise that I had to fulfill to the half-blood.

Balin sighed, probably realizing my resolve wasn't going to change, "I hope that is the only reason you are leaving. You know you are going to be shunned if you really are going for her."

"I'm not going for her, I want to travel again. The Rangers can give me that opportunity."

"Will you return at any point to see how our training is coming along? I don't know if I am ready for such responsibility." Dwalin asked clearly frustrated.

"You, Balin, and the others are more than capable of carrying that out." At that point I realized that having said my goodbyes there was no reason to delay my trip. I would leave as soon as I could pack.

"Why Thorin? What is the point in you leaving when there is so much to still be done here?" Dwalin asked again.

_"Because, I have a promise that I must keep."_ I thought to myself. With that I hurried ahead to pack my meager belongings. I turned only to see the two dwarves standing in the middle of the road looking quite forlorn.

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**Thanks to all my reviewers, favorites, follows!**

**To my shadow readers:** Please write a review and tell me what you think! :)

**~JFDragonFire**


	12. Chapter 11: Thorin's Return

Sorry it's almost a day late. It's been a busy week.

**Chapter 11: Thorin's Return**

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-Eva's POV-

When Theda died my life came to a standstill. I nearly gave up on everything. I felt as though I was living in a bad dream. She may have not been my real mother but she certainly felt like it. I did not know my real mother but I imagine that she was a lot like Theda, kind and loving but having a tough exterior.

Alardus was out of town training horses when he somehow heard the news and returned immediately. I could not have gotten through that dark time without his support. He gave up his dream to help me with the inn. He became more than a friend to me, he became my brother. I thought seriously about selling the inn but I knew how much it meant to Theda and how she trusted me to carry it on. I did not want to disappoint her so with Alardus' help I pulled myself together and kept the inn running.

Theda has been gone almost a year. There have been ups and downs but with the support of Alardus, the Rangers, and my faithful customers, I have been able to grow and learn. The inn is not only surviving but is flourishing. I have settled in quite nicely into my new life.

It had been eight years since Thorin left. Although I tried to hold on to hope that he would return in my heart I knew he wasn't returning. I still wore the necklace as a reminder of the first person who besides my father cared about my wellbeing. He will always hold a special place in my heart.

I was tending bar last week. It was a typical night at the inn, the same drunkards and the same frequent travelers. The Rangers were also there. They continued to use the inn as a safe meeting place. They had recently returned from hunting orcs that had been spotted a little too close to our border. I asked them if they had heard any news from Thorin but the answer was always the same, no news. Arathorn was now their leader. His father was killed a few years ago by a group of vile orcs. The cowards shot him with a poisoned arrow. It took him a few agonizing hours to finally succumb to the deadly poison.

It had become my habit to spend my time conversing with the customers rather than cooking. I left that up to Alardus. I knew many of them well. Many saw me grow up in the inn and thought it was their duty to look out for me. One such customer was a farmer from the surrounding fields. He came to town each week during the growing season to sell his crops and to have a few drinks with his friends. A few adventurous Tooks from the Shire also stopped by frequently. They were good natured little men. I especially enjoyed their songs which they sang with much enthusiasm. There were men who frequently traveled between the towns scattered in Breeland on business, but mostly there were local men who came just to have a good time and forget their cares.

I spotted Sandarr, a local who always had a kind word for me but who also could not hold his ale. He was a totally different man when he was drunk. More than once Alardus had to ask him to leave but he would always return the next day and act as if nothing had happened. I only let him in because he promised that he would not cause any more trouble. As I walked past him, he grabbed my arm. "Massy, get me another drink of ale like a good lill gurl", he slurred.

"I think you've had quite enough for tonight sir." I answered calmly.

He pulled me onto his lap, "Then perhaps your company."

Before he could comprehend what was going on my knife was out and to his neck, "Let go of me," I hissed," or you will feel my blade cut through your throat."

He immediately let me go, "Alright, I meant no harm."

"I doubt it," I scowled walking back to the kitchen. Thanks to Theda I learned how to handle men like him.

Alardus was finishing up the food for the Rangers, "Eva, you look angry, what's wrong?"

"Sandarr was trying to cause trouble again. We have to keep an eye on him. If he tries anything again you will have to throw him out and next time he will not be welcomed back."

"You're too nice Eva. He should've been thrown out of here a long time ago. Maybe you should cook and I should serve the customers."

I ignored his comment, he was too protective over me. Besides, cooking was not at all enjoyable to me. The thought of being stuck in the kitchen all day was definitely not appealing. He handed me a tray of food, "Here, bring this to the Rangers please."

I grabbed the tray and did what he asked.

"My lady, you grow more beautiful every time I see you." Arathorn complimented as I placed his plate of food in front of him.

"And you say that every time you come, but thank you." I said serving the Ranger next to him.

"But it's true," another Ranger joined in, "You're beauty grows every day."

"Alright, enough nonsense" I said trying to look serious. I smiled, "It's never hard to see why Theda adored all of you so much."

The Rangers always offered words of praise whenever they came. Even when I was young it didn't take me long to see why Theda enjoyed having them here. Most people feared the Rangers thinking they were dangerous. It was quite the contrary, they protected the people who feared them.

As I walked out of their little meeting room into the dining area I caught a quick glance at the far corner of the room. I dropped the tray I was holding and ran back into the meeting room. I had to lean against the wall to catch my balance. I was afraid that I would sink to the floor if it were not for the cold wall pressed against my back. It felt as if the breath had been sucked out of my body. Breathing became nearly impossible.

"Eva, you look like you've just seen a dead man." Arathorn said laughing.

"I did." I answered grabbing my necklace.

Arathorn got up and hurriedly left the room. He had guessed what was wrong with me. I peeked out to watch him but my view was blocked when Alardus walked up to the door to ask me what had happened. Apparently he heard the crash of the tray and thinking Sandarr was bothering me again, he rushed out of the kitchen to see if I was okay.

I wasn't good at hiding my shock because Alardus noticed as soon as he saw me, "Eva, is everything alright? You are as white as a ghost."

"Thorin's returned," I answered pointing my shaking finger in his direction.

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I'm going to busy these next few weeks. I have a lot going on right now. I will try to update when I can.

**Please write a review! :)**

**~JFDragonFire**


	13. Chapter 12: Reunion

I see less than ten chapters left! This story is almost finished fans!

**Chapter 12: Reunion**

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-Thorin's POV-

As I traveled though Bree I couldn't help but think about how much things had changed. The gatekeeper was someone I had never seen before. He was a young man, not the old worn out man I remembered. He watched me approach with a hint of suspicion. After bombarding me with questions he finally let me in.

I made haste to The Prancing Pony. The tavern was much as I remembered it except the name of the proprietor on the sign above the door. Theda's name was gone and in its place was Eva's. As I dismounted my pony questions race through my mind. What had happen to Theda? Will Eva even remember me? Will the Rangers accept me back?

A boy stable boy came and offered to tend to my pony. I quickly handed him the reins and made my way into the inn. I walked towards a table in the far corner. I wanted to observe Eva without her noticing me. I settled into a chair facing the kitchen glad that no one seemed to notice my presence. It was then I saw a young woman walk from the kitchen area towards the Rangers' meeting room. From that brief glance I saw her wearing the necklace that I gave to Eva, impossible.

I took off my hood as I sat down. I looked around at the other guests, none of them looked familiar. Yes, much had changed. My thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash. I looked to see that same girl retreating back to the meeting room. A few seconds later Arathorn exited the meeting room and glanced around the room where I was sitting. A worried looking young man hurried from the kitchen to the meeting room.

Apparently Arathorn recognized me because he walked over to me, "It's been a long time, old friend."

As he sat down across from me I asked, "What was that about?"

He smiled, "I think your presence startled Eva. The poor girl was a pale as snow."

I sighed in relief, " I was hoping that was Eva? She has grown much since I left. She has a kind face and no beard. I half expected her to have a full beard by now but I can see that she is as beautiful as her mother. So she remembers me then?"

Arathorn laughed, "Of course that's Eva. What did you expect a child? Remember she is only half dwarf she ages much like her mother's people. She's matured quite a bit since you left. She is a fine woman with a sensible head." he looked over at the doorway, "Yes, she remembers you alright. She has never forgotten you. She always asks me if I hear any news about you."

I followed his glance to the doorway of the meeting room. I watched the young man standing in the doorway talking to someone inside, "Who's he?"

"That's Alardus." He was a handsome young man, not the scrawny stable boy I remembered.

Eva emerged from the room to clean up the mess from the fallen tray. As she did she glanced in my direction. Alardus looked over at me then returned to the kitchen.

"Where's Theda?" I asked almost as an afterthought for my thoughts were focused on Eva. I didn't know how to explain my long absence in a way that she would understand. Her acceptance was foremost on my mind.

"She died last year. Eva was pretty devastated but we all helped her through it, especially Alardus. He gave up his dream of becoming a horse trainer in Rohan to help Eva with the inn."

My heart broke for Eva. I know how much she loved Theda and I was sad that I could not help her through the dark days that followed her death. I was grateful that that she had found so many friends to be with her when I could not.

When I looked over towards the meeting room again Eva was gone. I searched the room but could not find her. I then saw her emerge from the kitchen carrying a tray with a plate of food and some ale. She was headed in my direction. I smile when I saw the contents of the plate. After all these years she still had my order memorized and didn't have to ask me. Arathorn wasn't lying when he said she had matured. Her hair was now long (passed her waist) and formed into an intricate braid. Her face no longer was that of a child but of an adult. Had it not been for her short stature she would have looked like a mortal woman.

As she approached Arathorn said, "My friend you have been gone from us a long time. We were wondering if you would ever return. We had almost given up hope that you were still alive. Well, everyone except Eva here."

I knew he said that to me for her benefit so I answered, "Training and raising an army took much longer than I expected. My grandfather kept causing delays by his insistence that we didn't need an army. It took many years of pressure from me for him to agree although I don't think he ever was truly convinced. When I felt the army was trained enough I passed to responsibility to other dwarves that I trusted. I wanted to travel around again and I came here with the hope that your Rangers would accept my offer of assistance."

"We will see." Arathorn stated as he got up and went back to the meeting room.

"That's all?" Eva whispered looking over at me.

"No. I also had I promise that I had to keep."

She turned around to face me. Her voice trembled as she said, "Eight years you have been gone. Not a single word about where you were or what happened to you. No matter what Arathorn says I too was beginning to believe you were dead."

I knew she was upset, it was written all over her face and I could not blame her. How could she understand why I had to do what I did? Sometimes I didn't understand it myself but I had to make her see how important my mission had been. "Please, sit a while with me, we have much to discuss." I gestured to the seat Arathorn had vacated.

"I can't right now Thorin. I have responsibilities that I have to take care of." she said turning to walk off.

I grabbed her wrist, "Then I will wait."

She seemed hesitant, "It will be well into the night by the time I'm done."

I let her go, "It doesn't matter. I have upset you and you deserve a better explanation than the one I gave you. Please give me the opportunity to explain."

"I will talk to you when I am done. Wait if you want." She then walked off towards the kitchen.

I waited for hours for her to finish her work. I didn't mind because I needed to make things right with her. I decided to spend the time talking with the Rangers. I asked them about the orc situation in the area. They said there really wasn't much activity lately but they still patrolled the borders as a precaution. They were planning a patrol at the end of the week. I was welcome to go. "I will let you know." I told them. I knew I could not leave Eva without making things right between us.

When the last patron left and the inn was put back into order, Eva grabbed the chair across from me and waited for my explanation.

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**Please write a review.**

I posted a preview for a **Thor** and **Frozen ****crossover** that I will eventually start writing called: **Freezing Asgard**

If interested please check out my** Smaug** fan fiction called:** Dragon Soul: The Heart of a Dragon**

**~JFDragonFire**


	14. Chapter 13: Changes

Sorry this is a day late. **When I had just finished writing this chapter my dog hit my iPad and erased most of it so I had to rewrite it. I hope it is ok.**

I do not own any of the original content from The Hobbit.

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-Eva's POV-

It had been a month since Thorin walked back into my life. After I completed my shift that night I sat down with him anxious to hear why he had been gone so long. He explained about how his grandfather had been resistant to the idea of a dwarf army and because of that it had taken much longer than he anticipated. He did not feel that he could leave before he was confident that they would be able to defend themselves when the orcs invaded. I asked him why he never sent word to me to let me know that he was ok. He explained that the woods around the dwarf kingdom were filled with danger and he did not want to put anyone's life at risk. It took some time for me to sort everything he said but slowly I forgave him.

Not much changed, the inn was busy as always. I spent most of my days running the Pony. Thorin and the rangers spent a lot of time in the back meeting room. I enjoyed having him back and hearing his booming laughter floating from the rear room.

He had been wanting to see how I my knife skills had improved but we were both so busy that it was hard to make time. We decided that the only time I would be able to show off my skills was after the inn closed for the night.

Thorin watched patiently while I finished cleaning everything up. A few times he glanced in my direction with a grin on his strong, handsome face. "It's funny," I thought to myself, "I never before noticed how fine his face was."

"Alardus, the tables are clean and I straightened everything up. I'll leave the kitchen for you." I said walking to the door. Thorin got up and followed me.

Alardus looked up from the pot he was scrubbing. "Where are you going?" he shot he a worried look at me.

"I'm going to show Thorin how great I've become at throwing a knife in his absence," I answered wondering what that look was all about.

"Alright, just don't hurt anybody," He teased but I couldn't help noticing the sad look in his eyes.

On our way to the training field I asked, "When are the Rangers leaving again?"

"In a week or two. Just as Arathorn said, orc activity around here has reduced dramatically. Arathorn still thinks we should periodically patrol the borders in case there are any rouge orcs in the area."

It didn't take long for us to reach the open field. The full moon provided a lot of light. He watched as I showed him all of the moves that I had been practicing in his absence. They weren't perfect but they were good enough to bring a look of pride to his face. He offered to show me some new moves which I quickly agreed to. He wanted to test my speed and accuracy. I faltered a few times but for the most part I was able block and parry.

I had not realized how long we had been there until I noticed that the moon had descended and the first rays of the sun were peeking up over the distant hills. I was overwhelmed with exhaustion so we sat down on the moist grass and talked for a while. We talked about the things he did while he was at the Blue Mountains. We also talked about everything that happened in Bree during his absence. I was so happy and content sitting there talking to him. I felt a safe with him. I didn't realize how much I truly missed him until he finally returned.

I laid back on the grass not caring about the fact it was still wet with morning dew. I whispered, "I could just stay here forever."

I didn't mean for Thorin to hear that and hoped he had not but he replied, "Unfortunately you can't. Come show me how well you can throw your knife?"

"OK!" I said sitting up. I had practiced throwing it from all angles, including sitting down and I was anxious to show him my mastery. I pulled out my knife as he carved a mark on a tree trunk and stepped away. It took me a moment to focus in the still dim light but when I was ready I threw it. The knife hit the mark perfectly.

"How was that?" I beamed with a great sense of pride.

"It was alright." Thorin answered retrieving the knife.

"Just alright?" I asked not sure if he was serious or if he was teasing me.

He sat down next to me and handed me back the knife, "Your aim was good but it didn't cut as deep as it should. I can see that you really have been practicing . You exceeded my expectations."

I laughed putting away my knife, "Thorin you have a way of being very confusing. For example your comment contains both a praise and a criticism. How exactly did you mean it?"

"You can take it as a praise," he said. "Eva you're no longer the frightened child I left behind eight years ago. You've grown into the fine young woman I see sitting next to me," he whispered.

I glanced up at his strong handsome face, the one that I had looked upon since I was a child. Something had changed about the look in his eyes. His expression was more intense. I was about to say we should get going when he reached over to me, cupped my chin in the palm of his hand and cautiously planted a small kiss onto my lips.

I was in shock. My mind went empty and my heart felt as if it would burst from my chest. I took a deep breath and a giggle force itself out of me. The respect and dependence I felt as a child for Thorin had somehow grown into a deep love for him without me realizing it.

He reached for my hand and I did not pull it away. We sat there content in each other's company for what could have been hours. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew the sun was fully risen and Thorin was carrying me back towards the inn. I reached out and caressed his cheek with the back of my hand. He glanced down at me with a secret smile. I couldn't help but smile when I thought about how things were going to change forever between us and I knew it would be far better.

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**Writing romantic scenes have always been a challenge for me. I hope it is ok and that you guys like it. :)**

**~JFDragonFire**


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